Japan Raises Departure Tax to ¥3,000 for Travellers from 1 July 2026

The cost of travelling to Japan is set to rise from mid-2026. The Japanese government has officially increased the International Departure Tax, known as the Sayonara Tax, for tourists leaving the country. From 1 July 2026, the tax will rise from ¥1,000 to ¥3,000, equivalent to roughly Rp332,000. The increase applies to all passengers departing Japan by air or sea.

The Sayonara Tax was first introduced in January 2019 as a levy on tourists leaving Japan. Similar policies have been adopted by other countries such as New Zealand and Bhutan to support tourism sector management. The government deemed the rate adjustment necessary in line with Japan’s ambitious target of attracting up to 60 million international tourists annually by 2030, while maintaining the quality of tourist destinations and the comfort of local residents.

Unlike many tourist taxes that are charged per night as a percentage of accommodation costs, Japan’s tourist tax is collected only once, at a flat rate of ¥3,000 from 1 July 2026. The policy applies to all tourists leaving Japan by air or sea, regardless of nationality. The tax will be directly incorporated into the price of plane or ship tickets by airlines and transport operators. Groups exempt from the Sayonara Tax include aircraft or ship crew, transit passengers, and passengers landing in Japan due to severe weather conditions.

The measure is part of the Japanese government’s efforts to address the impact of overtourism, which is increasingly felt in popular tourist cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto. In recent years, the sharp rise in international tourists has begun to put pressure on public transport, the environment, and the daily lives of local communities. Revenue from the tourist tax will be used to support the maintenance of public works, the construction of essential infrastructure at airports and tourist destinations, the restoration of historical assets, and the development of various online tourism resources. Meanwhile, businesses operating international passenger transport services, including airlines and shipping companies, may contact Japan’s National Tax Agency for further information regarding the implementation of the policy.